"There are two types of people, Miss Viola. First, we have the roses, who wear their emotions in the petals of their sleeves. Honest, violent, and see-through people like you, who always say what's on their mind. Then, we have the thorns — the all-smiles, the sleeping poisons, the liars and thieves. Those who can take a beating and thank you for it, because they'll hit back twice as hard later. Like me."
-Rosanna Castus to Viola Adelais, Secret Route
***
Rosanna hadn't seen Leo and Viola since that fateful night.
The next day, Rosanna had headed to her classes as usual, much to the surprise of her seatmate. Not a word was spoken about the tense encounter the night before, what Leo and Rosanna discussed right after, and how it was probably the reason why the master-and-servant pair were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, the Crown Prince had propped his chin by his elbows and cast Rosanna a bored expression.
"You're late," he said.
Rosanna sighed. In the game, every moment in the Crown Prince was a page of a romance book, filled with declarations of love and heart-stopping moments. His hair was always perfectly styled, his uniform crisp and clean.
But right now, the so-called Crown Prince had bags under his eyes as he dragged his ass into their first subject. His uniform was crumpled, and his hair was standing out on all the wrong ends, as though he had spent the entire night tossing and turning in his bed.
"So are you, Your Highness." Rosanny replied drily.
"I have special privileges," the Crown Prince began tapping his desk, producing an annoying sound. "You do not."
"Everyone loves me," Rosanna easily shot back. It sounded a lot less confident than before, considering her past attempts at persuading Leo for a joint partnership. Even worse when she wasn't able to persuade the Royal Guards to let her go last night, despite doing her best to act pitifully while the prince was gone.
Rosanna Castus is a visual-novel game heroine. The protagonist's halo is a default, and the genre never lies. Amelia Sola did not die and woke up in Rosanna's body for kicks. Everyone loves her. Eventually.
"Well, I do not." Tap, tap, tap.
Rosanna instinctively rubbed her wrists, a phantom ache flaring where the ropes burned her skin. The traces were meticulously hidden by the Academy's long white sleeves, but the bruises remained, along with the fear. She didn't expect that His Highness would treat her that harshly, much less turn his sword towards her. He claimed that he only meant to cut her ropes, but if Leo hadn't stopped him…
She laughed nervously. "Maybe not now, but I promise you will, Your Highness."
"Impossible." the Crown Prince blew a strand of hair right out of his face. "I swore never to marry."
Rosanna laughed. Who knew the Prince had a sense of humor?
"Promises are meant to be broken, Your Highness."
"Promises are not the only thing that can be broken, Miss Castus."
At this, Rosanna whipped toward the Crown Prince so fast, that she almost cracked her neck. "Did you just threaten me? In broad daylight?!"
It was so out of character that Rosanna wondered if she even romanced the same person. What happened to her being his beloved?
At the same time, a piece of chalk suddenly hit her in the head.
"Miss Castus!" Someone yelled. "Stop talking with your seatmate and listen to the class!"
Sensing her confusion, the Crown Prince suddenly let out a snort, while the whole class, once again, burst into laughter at her expense. The same teacher from her history class shot Rosanna a glare.
She hid her face in her hands.
How dare this world treat me this way! Rosanna inwardly howled. I'm the heroine! I didn't die just to be treated like some cannon fodder! I swear, once I get my power and influence back, these people will regret tossing me aside!
**
In-game, Damian Vespera confesses to Rosanna in every route.
First was the infamous masquerade ball scene, where Rosanna had crashed the ball, Cinderella-style, and effectively unlocked the romance route for all male leads. Clad in her royal blue gown, she swept the dance floor and stole everyone's hearts, even those who were initially on Viola's side. But the Crown Prince, out of jealousy, put Rosanna in the spotlight by taking her hand and going down on one knee.
Everyone loves you, he whispered, lips barely caressing her gloved hands. The game shifted to a full cutscene, with Damian's eyes glittering under the moonlight, boring straight through the player with so much passion that it broke the fourth wall.
But not as much as I do. The Crown Prince took off his mask, before kissing Rosanna's hand. This made Amelia Sola, at fifteen, bury her head over the pillows.
I wish I had a ring so I could keep you for life, but for now, can I have you for the night?
The cutscene finished, and before she knew it, she had breezed through the dialogue options in a haze. Ballroom music played, and Rosanna Castus danced the night away in the arms of the Crown Prince.
This would go on for every route, with the two other male leads and Viola Adelais having to put up with the same scene over and over. Only Rosanna had to break the Crown Prince's heart and reject his offer every time to get into other routes.
Even then, he had followed Rosanna like a lost puppy, wishing he could change her mind. He would confess again at their graduation, then after that — until Rosanna finally got into the ending.
Today, Damian Vespera confessed to Rosanna that he swore never to marry. He even had his guards patrolling whenever Rosanna was within the vicinity, ready to spring into action if she as much breathed in the wrong direction. She could recognize them in the hallways, the Academy staff, and even the upperclassmen.
In the next few days, the Crown Prince dedicated himself to escaping Rosanna's clutches. He wanted nothing to do with her, he said, especially with the rumors circulating around her. As per his own words, please let me experience normal school life, Miss Castus, and keep me out of your dumbfoolery.
If only she knew that the Crown Prince was this uncouth from the very start, then she wouldn't have felt bad having to reject him over and over. To think she cried at the thought of shifting routes!
As a way of compensation for her troubles, the Crown Prince had given him one of his student guards — a fellow student named Vincent — who belonged in the same class as theirs. The Crown Prince acted like it was the best gift aside from sparing her, but Rosanna knew: the guard was just another way of keeping tabs on her.
"The Crown Prince must truly like you, Miss Castus, if he paid so much concern over your safety," Vincent whispered, right across from her. The two of them had sat at their own table in the mess hall, completely isolated from everyone else.
Vincent was a scrawny boy with glasses, with messy chestnut hair that covered most of his face. The first thing that Rosanna learned about him was how easily he blended around, so much so that Rosanna didn't notice they were in the same class.
A true non-playable, non-romanceable, and 100% background character.
"He tried to kill me," Rosanna grumbled, stabbing her meat. "Does that look like a concern to you?"
The second thing she learned about the royal guard was that he was painfully awkward. The Prince had promised that Vincent was the best of his generation — his personal aide, even — but the boy's rather disheveled appearance only made Rosanna feel like she was sitting with a baby deer instead of an actual, trained fighter.
Obviously, the Prince was only concerned about his identity being revealed — and for good reason, too. Yet the guard refuses to acknowledge the Prince's ill-intent, coming up with numerous excuses to make it seem like it was done out of goodwill.
"Please forgive His Highness," Vincent bowed his head sharply, "He just has a lot on his plate and considering everything you've said about him before, he has every right to panic. If you didn't turn out to be a close friend of Mister Leonardo, then who knows what could've happened…"
Rosanna's eye twitched at the mention of that butler's name. Another person dead set on rejecting her.
"Ah, why is this world filled with awful men!" She groaned, hugging the table. "Ever since I got here, all people do is assume the worst! Even my idol thinks I'm the scum of the earth." It was one thing to be so good that everyone envied her, but the original Rosanna Castus didn't even get this much hate during her first few days in the Academy.
What was she doing wrong?
"You-your idol my lady?" Vincent asked, barely able to get out the words. She noticed how he didn't even deny the part about everyone hating her. Rosanna rolled her eyes.
"Yes. The best person to exist ever. Viola." She answered crisply. "Do you know her? Leo's master? The beautiful lady with the red hair and green eyes?"
Vincent choked on his food as he listened to her, reminding her so much of her flighty subordinates back in her first life. Interns, she thought. This made her somehow more inclined to indulge him a little bit.
"Um, do you mean her, my lady?" The royal guard pointed at the middle of the mess hall. She had been too busy to know when it started, but somehow, a crowd had gathered around a group of people, who seemed to be arguing over something.
True enough, it was Viola Adelais. She seemed to be in trouble, and her trusted butler, Leo, was nowhere to be found.
"My lady, that's—"
Rosanna set down her spoon and fork. "I know."
Vincent fumbled at the mere act of setting down his utensils, which made Rosanna think twice about the Crown Prince's security.
"We should ask the Crown Prince for help—"
This guys was actually one of Damian's royal guards? Unbelievable.
"No need."